Episode 20 Animal 24:7

Britain's animals are under threat.

All too often, our wildlife and domestic pets

are the victims of cruelty, persecution and neglect.

Fighting to save them is a dedicated band of people

trying to protect and care for them right around the clock.

This is Animal 24:7.

In the air, on land and in the water,

Britain is a haven for animals.

But when they come up against man, their lives are often in danger.

From our cramped inner cities to our fields and hedgerows,

from the highest moorland to the coast and beyond,

Animal 24:7 is with the people working around the clock

to save endangered wildlife and protect vulnerable pets.

These are their stories.

On today's programme -

North Yorkshire police? It's RSPCA Inspector 403...

The police are called to four neglected dogs.

The conditions are appalling for these animals. I'll be looking at getting the animals seized.

I will have a vet here when you arrive, over.

Ozzie, the bad-tempered lizard who needs a new owner.

OK, on the scale of most aggressive iguanas...

-I've got his tail.

-Yeah, I'm not worried about the tail, it's the legs.

He's down.

And, on the move - the ducks evicted from their up-market home.

We're going to do some duck-herding,

which you'll enjoy.

That sounds suspiciously like I'm going to look like a fool!

First, though, we're off to North Yorkshire, and a complaint of cruelty involving four dogs.

Calls concerning neglect can often involve a number of different issues.

The animal may be underweight, kept in dirty or dangerous conditions,

or left chained up for hours at a time.

It's not that often, however, that an inspector finds all of these issues at one single property.

This overgrown garden in North Yorkshire is home to four dogs,

and there's a report that every single one of them is being neglected.

RSPCA inspector Jill Cawdor has been called to investigate.

I'm just knocking on the door to establish if it's the right address or not,

but I can hear dogs, so I suspect this is where we want to be.

Jill decides to check where the barking is coming from, and she's shocked at what she sees.

There are four dogs in the yard, all are in a worrying state,

and Jill is appalled at their conditions.

OK, you're OK. You're OK, come on.

No, I'm very, very unhappy with this.

Jill is immediately concerned for this Labrador cross called Shandy.

She's underweight and very nervous.

You can see, the arrangement for this dog is absolutely unacceptable.

The dog is underweight, it's left on a lead that short that she can hang herself,

there's no water for that dog, she's living in her own faeces, living in mud.

This German Shepherd called Snowy also has a whole host of problems.

She's underweight, she's got no shelter, she's got no comfortable resting area, she's got no bedding,

the fact she's tethered on such a heavy chain...

She's really very thin, is this dog. You know, under the coat.

The coat's hiding quite a lot, but the dog is very, very thin.

Very nervous. Aren't you?

And there are also two Rottweilers called Bronson and Tia.

They seem healthier, but their environment is completely inappropriate.

It's the big male Rottweiler at the end.

The Rottie bitch in the pen, at least she is loose,

but again, no water, living in her own faeces, it's full of hazards.

The conditions are just completely unacceptable.

The male Rottweiler at the end, he's tethered to a caravan axle,

but he's wound himself up that much on the caravan axle, he can't...

You can see him now, he can literally sit his bottom

on the step of his kennel entrance, but he can't actually get in there.

What little bit of water he's got in a bucket is absolutely brown.

All of the dogs have their own different problems.

Almost every kind of neglect is evident at this property,

and Jill thinks she has dealt with these dogs before, but at a different house.

I believe the people that live here are some people that I've previously dealt with.

It certainly is the same dogs,

and, yes, they have had several visits from me,

one of which was a warning notice for similar things,

but the dogs are in worse condition than when I saw them for the warning notice,

and the warning has been given,

so there won't be another warning from my point of view.

I'm not prepared to leave these animals in this situation,

so I'm going to make some telephone calls now, and see what I can get arranged.

I've got a cruelty case and I need a vet on-site...

The vet's professional opinion is needed before Jill can seize these dogs and get them treated.

No, it's four dogs.

'OK. All right, thanks for that.'

The vet is on his way. Now Jill needs to call the police.

North Yorkshire police? It's RSPCA Inspector 403. Are you receiving, over?

I've walked in on a job with four dogs.

The conditions are appalling for these animals, and I'll be looking

at getting the animals seized and taken away.

I will have a vet down here when you arrive, over.

-Bye, now. Bye.

-'Bye.'

Jill thinks this is a case of neglect and the owner could be prosecuted.

It's vital she follows the correct procedure.

She begins to gather evidence that will form part of her case.

Animal welfare is about looking at your animal and saying to yourself,

"Would I be comfortable left in those conditions,

"and have I got what I require to be left for a long period of time?"

Any person only has to look and think, "Well, I haven't got a drink,

"I haven't got a comfortable area to sit or sleep in."

'It's very obvious to any animal owner that more is required.'

And the way Snowy is tethered is more evidence of neglect.

It's the kind of chain that would be used for tethering a horse,

not tethering your... Tethering a dog.

Can you see all the twig entangled here with this chain?

This is a classic example of where the dog will just knot up more and more,

I think we can see how something like that

can create...such a danger,

and that, er... This just weighs a ton.

There's a good girl.

All the dogs are depressed and withdrawn, but Shandy seems particularly listless.

Jill would love to take them away now,

but she needs to wait for the vet and the police to arrive.

These are conditions that I'm not happy to leave any animal in,

and that's the reason I've called a veterinary surgeon,

to see if he will support me that these dogs should be removed immediately.

Still to come...

Tia shows just how eager she is to escape her dirty pen.

Come here, darling!

Just grab her!

Come on!

And meet Zeus the goose, who also wants to get away.

Don't you start on me!

-Oh, dear!

-Fancies a swim.

In Britain, pet ownership isn't just restricted to dogs, cats or rabbits.

The number of people owning exotic animals and reptiles has more than doubled in the last few years,

but these animals are difficult to keep and, all too often,

people take them on without realising the level of care they require,

or how big they can grow.

Meet Ozzie, a five-foot long iguana with a bad attitude.

But despite his temper, Ozzie is much loved.

He's four years old, and has been raised by Ian and Hayley Wright.

They've even built him a vivarium in the cupboard under the stairs.

Don't...don't whip.

Over the last year, Ozzie has grown much bigger, and has become more aggressive.

On top of that, Ian suffers from epilepsy,

and has not been able to give Ozzie the attention he needs.

The Wrights think this isn't fair on their pet,

so have agreed to give their iguana away to someone who can care for him properly.

We're giving him up for rehoming.

He's going to Hull rescue centre.

We think it's the best thing to do.

He's not getting the attention he should get.

The less attention he gets, the worse he's going to get.

They may look pretty when they're small, but they do get big,

and they can grow up to six foot long, if not bigger.

You can't keep them cramped up.

There's no way you can keep them cramped up.

Ian goes to give Ozzie his last feed.

The iguana is true to form, and doesn't welcome the attention.

You've always got to have your wits about you. He might bite or whip.

Ian admits he is scared of his pet, and it's no surprise.

Ozzie has razor-sharp teeth, and a tail that can deal a powerful blow.

Ian has the scars to prove it.

I've got a jaw mark going round, the shape of his mouth.

-The teeth go backwards, so you have to...

-Like a saw blade, aren't they?

So you have to wait, basically, till they let go,

cos if you pull it out, you'll make it worse.

I've been bitten on the face by him.

I've got a scar there,

I've got one near my lip.

I've been whipped with his tail across my nose.

-Oh, he got your eye, didn't he?

-And I had like a black eye.

But who would be prepared to take on this bad-tempered iguana?

Enter Hull-based Reptile Rescue.

Antony Case and Lee Reeve are used to handling difficult animals,

and have agreed to take Ozzie in and try and calm his temper.

Hello, I'm Antony from Reptile Rescue Hull. Nice to meet you. And this is Lee.

Let's have a look.

-Temperament?

-He's been a bit aggressive.

Well, what we'll do, we'll go in and see how he reacts to me, see if he bites me.

Let's see. Let's have a good look at it. Just put the bracer up to make sure.

There we go, and we're in.

Antony makes his move, and Ozzie shows how hard to handle he can be.

Can you get that glove off?

I'm actually better without them.

OK, OK... OK, OK...

No, he's having a right belt.

-On the scale of most aggressive iguanas...

-I've got his tail.

I'm not worried about the tail, it's the legs.

He's down.

Let him go, let him go.

Back legs, you need to pin. OK, calm down, calm down.

Finally, Antony gains the upper hand.

And we're out.

He's pretty aggressive for an iguana.

Um... However, he is in lovely condition.

He is in excellent condition,

and he's most probably going to be a six and a half foot iguana fully grown. Easily.

Antony's confidence and expert handling is starting to pay off,

as Ozzie begins to calm down.

He's sitting a bit more relaxed now. There we go. OK, it's OK.

Life's not terrible.

There we go. There we go.

With him, I think it's more the lack of handling recently,

because of your epilepsy, obviously,

but your lack of handling recently, I think he's just nervous.

To him, it's suddenly like a downgrade,

nobody's holding him or handling him or playing with him any more.

Also, he's ready for breeding now.

During breeding seasons, iguanas' testosterone...

The best way of explaining it in layman's terms is it goes from one to a thousand, yeah?

So they become very, very territorial.

Outside his vivarium, it's easy to see just how much damage Ozzie could cause.

A lot of people don't realise that the strength in the end of this tail is immense.

That tail there, if that clouted you in your temple, you're gone, and that's it.

These tails exert massive amounts of pressure in the whip.

Ian and Hayley are doing the right thing in giving their pet away.

It's not fair for him when he's wanting out, you know, and I'm not feeling well enough to do that.

But, as Antony prepares Ozzie for the journey, it all becomes too much for Hayley.

Come on, come and say goodbye to him before he goes.

He'll be well looked after, but, at the end of the day, you can come and see him.

-Thanks a lot.

-All right? And he'll be well looked after.

-He'll be well looked after, don't you worry.

-OK.

-Come down and see him.

All right? We'll see you soon.

Come on then, little one.

Ozzie is taken to Reptile Rescue HQ,

and he takes pride of place on Antony's lap.

The transformation in his behaviour is remarkable.

Once nervous and agitated, he's now much more relaxed,

and enjoying the journey.

Right, let's pop him on here for a second and give him a quick once-over.

You can see the full length of him now properly, yeah?

He is starting to go orange, a sign of the breeding season, and you can see the teeth on him.

This is like a piranha, so if this does bite down on your finger,

your finger's going, it's as simple as that.

As long as they don't feel scared, they're usually pretty timid in that respect, but still,

you know, at the end of the day it is a WILD animal.

OK, we'll introduce him to his new home,

so hopefully he's going to enjoy it. So, let's try it out,

see if he likes it, see if it has his appreciation or not.

Oh, I think it does.

Antony will now look for a new home for Ozzie,

but he wants to be sure the next owner is the right one.

As long as they can show that they've got the right equipment,

the right knowledge and the time to give, we would happily rehome Ozzie to them with no charge.

Whoever takes him would have to build a tank specifically for him,

so we're looking at six foot high by about four by four, minimum.

And the number one thing with an animal that's aggressive when it comes in, is to make it feel secure.

99% of aggression is born through fear.

Antony will keep Ozzie until he is confident he's found him a perfect new home.

For now, the iguana seems to be enjoying his new surroundings,

and hogs the limelight in the rescue centre's window.

Later...

Ozzie is on his best behaviour as he looks for a new owner.

So far, since he's been here, he's been pretty good. He hasn't bitten anyone.

He does have his days. Like humans, animals have bad days as well.

And a testing time for Snowy, as she receives urgent treatment.

OK... No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

-Come on, you were fine before, weren't you?

-OK.

Moving house is supposed to be one of the most stressful things we do in life.

It can also affect our pets,

especially if it means moving to a smaller house,

where there is just not enough room to keep as many animals.

But, as I found out when I spent the day with the RSPCA,

it doesn't always have to be bad news.

This large, leafy garden near Pinewood in Buckinghamshire

is the luxurious home of one goose and a posse of ducks.

They've lived here for eight years, but now their owner is downsizing

and wants her animals to still enjoy the finer things of life.

I've arrived with RSPCA animal collection officer Dennis Lovell

to take these birds to their new home,

and it seems they're eager to meet us.

DUCKS QUACK

As Dennis gets things ready, I go to meet owner Vanessa Williams.

They've given us so much pleasure, they need to go to a nice home.

But they've got a lot of space to roam around here.

How are we going to corral them into somewhere we can actually get hold of them?

We're going to do some duck-herding,

which you'll enjoy.

That sounds suspiciously like I'm going to look like a fool!

No, not at all.

Just signal the way you don't want them to go,

and they will automatically move away from the stick,

so they should start moving down gently that way.

-So, how do we begin?

-OK, well, it's over to you.

Your turn. The ducks are there.

We need to get them down the drive,

through the gate and into the duck shed.

Sounds like one man and his flock!

-And there isn't just ducks. There's a goose there as well, I see.

-Yeah.

-What's the goose called?

-Zeus.

-Zeus the goose!

-Yes, Zeus the goose.

-Oh, brilliant.

-He's a Brecon Buff.

In Greek mythology, Zeus is the king of all the gods,

and he's certainly got a palace here,

so it's unlikely he'll want to leave.

I'd better concentrate on what I'm doing.

I want them to go that way, so I put the stick out that way.

Yeah, perfect. You should try and just catch them up a little bit, Tom.

And with a few tips from Vanessa...

The idea is to get them into the shed, not the pen, yeah?

Absolutely, into the shed.

..this wild goose chase goes swimmingly.

Take it nice and slowly. They're going.

Oh... Oh... Oh... Yay!

The birds go right where we want them, and Dennis has a plan for stage two of the capture.

I want to get Zeus out first.

Yeah, you're right. You need to bring Zeus out first.

Usually, if you just gently take him around the neck with your hand...

I mean, obviously, gently. You know that yourself.

.He will immobilise and freeze, and then you can just pick him up.

Well, shall we go in, get tackling him?

Hello, Zeus.

Geese have a reputation for feistiness,

but Dennis shows no fear, and Zeus is soon caught.

OK. OK, Mr Zeus.

-Well done.

-Looks quite a placid bird in your arms there.

-Yeah, but you can feel him.

-He's a big, chunky bird.

-Isn't he gorgeous? What do you think about seeing him go?

Well, I didn't think I would be emotional, but it's sad, you know.

They've had a good home here, but he's going to a glorious environment and he will love it.

And he'll soon find his place there, and probably end up being in charge.

I would think so, yeah.

Dennis settles Zeus down for the journey.

Now it's time to herd up his friends.

So, what's the technique here?

Well, we're going to use this board, and we're going to try and corner them.

If you flat-hand them on the back, Tom.

Mind the door, someone.

He's a tufty one. Who's this one?

-This is Romeo.

-Romeo.

With all the birds accounted for, they're ready to leave this posh pad to head for pastures new.

I'm intrigued to see what kind of home will match their old stomping ground.

While Vanessa may be downsizing,

Zeus and his pals are doing anything but.

This large farm right in the heart of the countryside is their new home.

Animal lover Peter Butcher has agreed to take on the birds,

and keep them in the manner to which they've become accustomed.

-PARROT: Hello!

-Hello! So, how many birds and animals do you think you've got here, Peter?

Well, there's 18 ponies, there's four alpacas,

seven goats, and about 240 birds.

-And two sheep.

-Why?

Well, most of them need rescuing.

We love our animals, and I think, if we can give them a good home

where they can just live the rest of their days in peace and quiet,

then, you know, it makes us feel good.

When we look for a new home, quite often first impressions are what counts.

Oh, let's take you in, yes.

Oh, yes. Hello, darling.

It's love at first sight for Peter.

Now I'm keen to see how Zeus reacts to his new lake,

and his new neighbours.

Very excited about the water!

Oh! Oh, cor!

Don't you start on me! Oh, dear.

Fancies a swim.

But, much as Zeus is chomping at the bit, he's going to have to be patient.

Are we going to be able to get these straight out on to the lake?

As tempting as it is, I don't think we ought to, actually.

I think they should have a couple of days sort of on their own, just while they can acclimatise.

It would be a bit mind-boggling for them, you think?

I think so. The environment they came from was really quiet, under the trees, wasn't it?

Very quiet, on their own.

Now, all of a sudden, they've got loads of friends.

And some spectacularly noisy parrots in the background.

And some great parrots, exactly!

PARROT: Hello!

Peter has set aside a small enclosure for the new arrivals,

where they can settle in and get used to being one of the crowd.

All right.

-There.

-He wants his brood out, doesn't he?

-Yeah.

Oh, look at this, darlings!

-Oh!

-This is Romeo in here, apparently, the one with the tuft.

-He's gorgeous.

-Oh, he's straight out!

Oh, look at them.

Look, here they come.

And after a few moments, the reception committee arrives.

He's the boss.

-That's somewhat of a welcome.

-Yeah, Mr Farmyard.

When they go out, actually on to the lake, within two hours, they're just the best of friends.

That's all talk, that is.

There's another goose like Zeus, isn't there? Is that another Brecon?

That's another Brecon. That's a female, which he will enjoy very much in a short time.

It's quite nice for you, this, Dennis.

Is it unusual to be taking animals from a nice situation and taking them to an even better one?

-It's all quite upbeat, really.

-Yes, it is. This is obviously a lovely place for them to come.

There is nothing wrong with where they were, but the lady needed help,

didn't she, and it was just nice

that we were able to help her in this sort of way.

Coming up...

another amazing new home, this time for Ozzie.

He's sensing, he's using his tongue, he's tasting. Off he goes.

He seems to like it.

Now we're back with RSPCA inspector Jill Cawdor,

who's investigating a complaint of neglect to four dogs.

Jill found problems with the way each of these animals was being kept.

They were tied up with dangerous tethers,

two were seriously underweight,

and a Rottweiler was locked in a dirty pen.

Jill wanted to take the animals away,

but legally she needed police and a vet to support her case.

It's midday, and the police have arrived at the property.

Jill briefs them on what she's found.

There's four dogs,

Rottie male, Rottie female, white German Shepherd bitch

and a Lab cross bitch.

I know all the dogs. I've dealt with them a lot.

And after several minutes, vet Edward Button is also on the scene.

Jill can't seize the dogs without a vet's support.

If Edward decides the dogs are suffering,

Jill can take them immediately.

He's shocked by what he sees.

-Is this how they are? You've tied them up here, have you?

-No, no, this is...

-This is how they're left?

-Exactly. I haven't touched them.

Snowy the German Shepherd is first to be examined, and she's extremely thin.

Her coat is thick and dirty, and this is disguising her bony frame.

-She's got a big clump under this ear.

-Yeah, matted up here.

It's now Rottweiler Bronson's turn.

He seems pleased to be getting some attention.

He's in slightly better physical condition.

He's not as thin, but you can see the conditions he's kept in.

It's not very satisfactory, is it,

basically standing in his own faeces?

It's unacceptable to keep animals tied like this in these conditions,

without looking after them a bit better.

They don't get thin like this overnight, that's the thing.

They get progressive weight loss if they're underfed.

Edward is concerned about Bronson and Snowy,

but, of all the dogs, Shandy looks in an even worse condition.

-Obviously a bit nervous.

-Good girl, good girl.

She's timid and shaking with nerves.

-There's a good girl.

-All right.

She's thin, isn't she?

Yeah, yeah.

Edward has seen enough. It's clear something needs to be done.

Yeah, I mean, you can't just leave dogs like this.

Do you think these have been caused to suffer by the weight loss and conditions? Are you happy to say?

Yes, I would say that...

I mean, just to look at the condition of them,

they're obviously not getting adequate care and attention, and food.

Edward decides that none of these dogs should have to live like this.

It's the result Jill wanted.

All dogs are going to be removed. The police will seize all four dogs.

The vet's happy that the animals have been caused unnecessary suffering due to being so thin,

and the conditions they're living in. He's supporting me

on a Section Nine offence under the Animal Welfare Act,

in that these two Rotties here, their needs aren't being met.

They're not being kept in adequate enough conditions.

That's what we're going to run with.

Jill's relieved that all the dogs can now be removed.

First to go is Rottweiler Bronson.

-Want me to hold him with you?

-Yep.

He's healthier, and clearly excited to be off his tether.

Next it's Tia's turn.

After being caged in a dirty pen, she too is keen to be leaving, and makes a bolt for freedom.

Come here, darling! Just grab her!

Come on!

But Tia's escape is short-lived, and she's quickly brought under control.

Both Rottweilers are healthy enough to go straight to the local animal centre,

but for Shandy and Snowy it's a different story.

Because they're underweight, they need immediate treatment.

They're taken back to the surgery where they can be properly assessed.

Edward's first job is to check Shandy's weight.

A dog of this breed should weigh at least 25 kilos.

19.3, yeah.

Shandy is more than 20% below that.

Right, then, let's just pop you on the table. Come on. There we go. Good girl.

Edward needs to check there are no alternative causes

for Shandy's weight loss other than being underfed.

She's a lovely dog.

There's no actual wound or sores, or... She's not been scratching, and no skin problems.

It's just...condition, isn't it?

-Right.

-You know, and the state that she had to...

-Live in.

-..live in.

A blood test will check for any underlying illnesses or disease.

-Brave girl.

-All right, well done.

But one thing's for certain, Shandy is starving.

We do tend to feed a dog, you know, bringing it in on examination like tonight,

just to show the fact that they are very hungry.

The minute they're offered water and food, it's something that they are wanting, you know,

and her body weight shows that she clearly hasn't been getting enough.

That went down very well, didn't it?

It's now Snowy's turn. She's also underweight, but the true extent of her neglect is hidden.

This dog is thin, isn't she?

But her coat is really quite disguising.

Snowy has had a traumatic few hours,

and is clearly terrified by her new surroundings.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

-Is it the noise of the clippers?

-All right, darling.

Come on, you were fine before, weren't you?

She's actually really a very kind dog.

She's just very worried, and just, probably, lack of being socialised.

You know, this sort of situation is a little overwhelming for her.

She's just not sure what's coming next.

They just don't know quite what to expect. Give you a feed, shall we?

Pop you down.

Snowy's reaction to the food is very telling.

Oh, let me 'ave it!

Well, she's pretty starving, I would say, poor girl.

Yeah, she's certainly devoured that at a rate of knots, hasn't she? Certainly a hungry dog.

That's it, it's gone.

Snowy and Shandy are now safe, and Jill thinks that the evidence

for her prosecution case is starting to mount.

So I think the conditions were, for the dogs, that they were living in, were very poor,

and I'd hope they would be confiscated, and we are able to put the dogs up for a new home.

That's what we hope with every case that we're taking,

I'm dealing with it as a serious case tonight,

and I don't see any reason, at the moment, why I wouldn't hope to get that result.

It's been an ordeal for Snowy and Shandy, but at least they're out of that back yard.

But their health is still a concern, and both dogs have a long way to go.

Still to come...

-Shandy's on her way to a better life.

-She's a new dog.

This is what we hoped to achieve.

It's just fantastic.

We're getting her back to where she should be.

Earlier, we brought you the story of a bad-tempered iguana called Ozzie.

He's had to leave the care of his owners, and is now in a temporary home at Reptile Rescue in Hull,

hoping to catch the eye of a new owner.

But finding a home properly equipped to care for a potentially aggressive

five-foot reptile is not straightforward.

For the past month, Ozzie has been in good company.

He's been sharing his home with dozens of other reptiles

who have also found themselves in need of help.

Abandonment is a typical thing with most reptiles nowadays.

The main reason is that the craze on reptiles has taken over,

and now more people actually want a reptile than they do a cat or a dog.

We started Reptile Rescue five years ago, but at the time we ran it from home.

Since then, in the last year, we joined up with what was a local pet shop,

under the agreement that he would no longer sell reptiles which we don't.

If somebody comes in and they've got the right equipment, they can leave with a reptile.

If they come in and they haven't got the right equipment and they buy it,

which is what funds us now, they can leave with a reptile.

So, as long as they have the right equipment to care for it,

the same as you wouldn't send a dog into a home with no food or water bowl,

we wouldn't send a snake or a reptile into a home without the correct lighting or heating.

Whoever decides to take Ozzie will have to prove to Antony

that they can give him a suitable home.

They must have a vivarium,

and it must be big enough for Ozzie to exercise in.

It must also have UV lighting to simulate his natural environment,

and the family must be able to put up with his bad temper.

So far, since he's been here, he's been pretty good.

He hasn't bitten anyone. He does have his days, but we expect that with any iguana.

Like humans, animals have bad days as well.

The colouration's come back an awful lot, a much happier little man.

And now a family have shown interest in giving Ozzie a new home.

Meet Colin and Laura Nolan,

and their two children, Edward and Ethan.

They already keep a number of iguanas,

and now Colin has built this amazing enclosure especially for Ozzie.

He's converted two store cupboards

with a connecting tunnel into a large vivarium,

and it's passed Antony's high standards.

Now it's time to find out if Ozzie likes it too.

-Hi, Antony.

-Hello, Colin. I need to get him in as quick as possible...

Oh, come on in. Yes, come in.

This is Ozzie, your new iguana,

-who seems...

-Beautiful.

Who seems quite besotted with getting in his new home himself.

He's sensing, he's using his tongue, he's tasting, he's thinking about it.

Off he goes.

He seems to like it.

He's having no problem climbing.

Make sure he can actually make it up to his

walkway into his second tank...

Oh, more than easily.

More than easily.

There we go, perfect.

Ozzie takes to his new lair straight away, and Antony's impressed.

Rather than just being stuck in this one vivarium all day, he can actually diversify.

He can move across into the other vivarium, he can sit in the middle.

It gives him lots of things to enjoy and search for.

It also means Colin's able to move his veg about more,

so rather than making it a simple "there's your veg", he can put it in here, in here, in here,

and make it more realistic where the iguana has to search for the vegetables,

as it would have to forage in the wild.

Colin has clearly put a lot of thought and creativity into the vivarium,

and he's delighted with his new arrival.

He looks awesome. He looks really cool.

He looks really healthy, has good colouring, and a good size.

Whenever we handle the iguanas,

we know how to look after them and we know... We respect them.

They're a big animal, they're a wild animal,

and we've got to respect them, and we do.

It's just an awesome creature.

He's done an excellent job with it, It's perfect for Ozzie.

I think he's going to settle in nicely here and thoroughly enjoy himself,

which is what we want.

You know, the whole process of rescuing is that once you get them into a home this good,

and when you see something like this, this makes it worthwhile.

And, after his dinner, Ozzie is content to soak up a few UV rays.

It's clear this iguana has found a real home from home.

Finally today, it's time to catch up with the four dogs rescued from a filthy back yard.

Shandy, Snowy, Tia and Bronson were all being kept in shocking conditions.

They were malnourished and neglected,

so RSPCA inspector Jill Cawdor was called in to save them.

This is the RSPCA animal home in York.

Today, Jill has come back to check on Rottweilers Tia and Bronson.

Just a month ago, they were caged and chained in a dirty yard.

Now they're getting used to a new way of life.

Come on, Tia.

Good girl!

Tia and Bronson are both doing really well.

They've settled in to the kennels well.

Bronson is a big strong boy. He's quite difficult to handle.

He's not, obviously, had a lot of socialisation, he's lacking a few manners.

Tia, you can see, she's enjoying all the attention

that she's getting here at the RSPCA.

Bronson is loving the attention too,

and enjoys his daily groom by kennel-hand Marie Sandle.

Bronson's getting on really, really well.

He has calmed down a bit since he first came in.

I don't think he'd ever been taught how to walk on a collar and lead,

so we've had to start from scratch, really.

He's very friendly towards everybody he meets, and he is a firm favourite with the staff here.

The regular grooming is helping Bronson look and smell better.

He was a bit stinky and a bit fluffy when he first came in,

so it's really nice for the dog.

Rottweilers have a bad reputation for being aggressive,

but these two are far from the stereotype.

Even though they're surrounded by strangers,

they have remained good-natured.

You know, sadly, Rottweilers do get a bad name,

and a lot of bad press, and it's like with any dog,

it's understanding the breed and them being handled correctly,

but you can see what a lovely-natured, er...

lovely-natured girl she is.

Jill is delighted to have rescued Bronson and Tia from their dirty back yard.

They will now stay with the RSPCA

until their owner has been dealt with.

Good girl!

Shandy and Snowy, the other dogs that were seized from the same back yard,

were in a much worse condition.

They were skinny, malnourished, and very nervous.

They've had to stay at the vet's surgery until their health improves.

Today is the day of their final medical check with vet Edward Button.

Right, we'll just take her weight, then.

She's certainly put on a lot of condition, hasn't she?

Good girl, just calm down.

It's 25.8.

She's obviously put on a lot of weight since I saw her last,

which is a month ago when we rescued her,

and the overall impression is that she's now filled out a lot.

You can see that she's put on about 50% weight from when she was rescued, which is great,

cos this is more the normal weight that she ought to be.

She's still got room to put a little bit more on, hasn't she?

She's still just a little bit...

Although she's quite a slight dog...

She's a small frame, but I think she'll probably put on a few kilos more yet.

It's all right.

And Snowy's not just put on weight.

She's also gaining in confidence.

Come on, stand up.

From seeing her on the day, she was a very, very nervous dog,

and you can still see that she is...

She still is quite nervous,

but equally she really, really wants to be fussed and have the attention,

sometimes she just loses a little bit of courage.

You know, she hasn't seen the vet for a month...

Just a little bit uncertain in this situation,

but overall she's doing really well.

We're really pleased with her.

Shandy was in the worst state of all the dogs.

She was extremely skinny, with a bony frame and protruding ribs.

She was also listless and downbeat.

She's now fatter and brighter.

-Hello, Jill.

-Hi there.

-Hello! How are you doing, eh?

-Well, she's doing really well.

You're doing well. You are, aren't you?

Looks quite a different dog, doesn't she?

You're a different dog completely, aren't you, eh?

Shandy's put on more than seven kilos and is now back up to her ideal weight,

and she looks better too.

Every time she breathes, you can see the ribs have really...

She's put on muscle all over, though. She's in good nick now.

She's got just the right amount of body condition on.

Obviously come on leaps and bounds, this one, hasn't she?

And, like Snowy, it's not just Shandy's physical state that's improved.

She was very, very nervous and, you know, didn't even want the vet to approach her,

and today she's walking in confidently, she's pleased to...

She's pleased to see people.

She's a new dog. This is what we hoped to achieve.

It's just fantastic. We're getting her back to where she should be.

Edward is happy with both Shandy and Snowy's progress.

They're now fit and healthy enough to leave the vet's surgery.

Snowy is at the local rehoming centre,

trying to catch the eye of a new owner.

For Shandy, though, the news is even better.

She's already been reserved.

We do have some wonderful new owners that are very eager to take her.

They've passed all their home checks,

and it would be nice if we can get her away sooner rather than later.

You can see she's a lovely dog

and she's going to make an absolutely fantastic pet.

From seeing her when I found her,

and to then watching her walk out the gates with her new owner is what the job is about.

And it's nice that she's going to go on to somewhere wonderful

and get the love and attention that she deserves.

If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime,

or a creature that needs immediate protection,

remember, there are dedicated professionals out there

who will answer your call around the clock.

They are the people we meet on Animal 24:7.

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